Bracelet attachment



Nov. 3, 1931. c. R. TosT ET AL 1,830,042

BRACELET ATACHMENT Filed Dec. 10. 1950 Z N [1; 1 HQLMH m1 l'l'l'tfi] a 22 fl W10 arizg Patented Nov. 3, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CHARLES R. TOST, OF GENTREDALE, AND CHARLES ADOLPI-I DOMLER, OF PROVIDENCE,

RHODE ISLAND, ASSIGNORS TO THE HADLEY COMPANY, INC., OF IEROV'IDIENCE RHODE ISLAND, A CORPORATION OF RHODE ISLAND BRACELET ATTACHMENT Application filed December 10, 1930. Serial No. 501,282.

This invention relates to extensible connectors for wrist watch bracelets or the like. and the principal object of the invention 1s to provide a foldable attachment of improved construction which is simple and economical to manufacture, easy to manipulate and attractive in appearance, and capable of unusual extension without sacrifice of simplicity and durability, or compactness and neatness.

The subject matter of our invention finds especial utilityv in satisfying the need for a watch bracelet attachment which may be of a small and compact size and of neat and at tractive appearance, and which will enable the extended bracelet to be passed over a hand of large size and fitted snugly to a relatively small wrist, without manual adjustment of the position of its connected parts.

Recommended embodiments of the invention are shown in the accompanying draw-- Fig. 3 illustratpropriate for connecting flexible sections of awrist watch bracket. As shown in the drawings, the attachment is interposed between and pivotally connected to bracelet sections formed of flexibly connected metal links 7 and having end hooks 8 for attachment to the loops or bails of a wrist watch in the usual manner. It will be understood however that the bracelet sectlons may consist of metal mesh, links of any desired form, leather straps or fabric bands in accordance with common usage.

The attachment or connector which permanently joins opposed ends of the bracelet sections, preferably comprises an elongate central member or plate 9 shaped to provide a cover section 10 at one end and a bottom section 11 at its opposite end; a pair of hinged connector plates 12 and 13 pivoted to and foldable beneath the cover section 10; and another pair of hinged connector members 14 and 15 pivoted to and foldable over the bot'-' tom section 11, the plate 15 constituting a cover member for approximately one-half of the central plate 9 and preferably conforming in contour and design to the cover section 10. The connected parts are constructed and arranged to fold in nested overlapping relation within relatively small compass, so that the closed attachment is extremely compact and pleasing in appearance, as well as comfortable to the wearer; and it is obvious that the fully extended connector greatly increases the size of the bracelet, even though the individual connector plates are relatively short.

As best shown in Fig. 5, thecover section 10 constitutes approximately one-half ofthe ceritral member 9 and is slightly wider than the contiguous bottom section 11 which forms the other half of said member. Section 10 has depending side walls 16 having opposed apertures receiving a pivot pin 18 which con"-.

nects plate 12 thereto; and section 11 has upstanding side walls 19 provided with openings 20 receiving a pintle 21 for connecting the end of plate 14 thereto. The side walls 19 preferably have opposed notches or re cesses 22 providing clearance for a pivot pin 23 which connectsconnector plate 14 to the overlapping cover plate 15; and plate 13, which is pivoted at 24 to plate 12, has corresponding notches 25 for receiving the pintle 1 18 when the parts are closed together. The terminal links 7 of the bracelet are suitably hinged or otherwise attached to the outer ends of the plates 13 and 15 respectively.

In closing the attachment, the sides of the connector plates 12 and 13 telescope between the walls 16 of the cover section 10, and the sides of plates 14 and 15 telescope over the walls 19 of bottom section 11, so that the underlying'connectors are covered and sub stantially concealed by the top or cover members 10 and 15 upon closing the attachment.

Said members may have projecting end tongues 26 and 27 respectively which maybe readily lifted by the finger to open either or Inn both portions of the closed attachment; and

the parts may normally be held in closed,

overlapping relation by frictional engagement of cooperating portions of their nested sides, or by other suitable locking means.

In the modification illustrated in Fig. d, the top and bottom sections and 11 of the central member of the attachment are pivotally interconnected as by a pin 28; otherwise 10 the construction of the device is substantially the same as above described. This preferred arrangement affords greater flexibility of the attachment and also simplifies the construction and assemblage of the connector ele- 15 ments, without impairing the operation or appearance of the article.

From the foregoing it is apparent that the improved bracelet connector or foldable attachment is simple to manufacture and assemble, easy to operate, compact in structure and neat in appearance; that the length of the closed attachment is approximately equal to the length of its central member 9; and that its normal length is increased substantially threefold when both foldable portions are extended. Furthermore, when the central member comprises two parts hinged at 28 (Fig. l) the extension is approximately six times the length of any single unit of the 30 foldable connectors. Hence, a bracelet equipped with the improved device may be snugly clasped about a small-sized wrist and will conform to the contour thereof (it being understood that the connector elements may be slightly curved .t'or this purpose) yet the unusual extension afforded by the opened connector will permit the bracelet to be passed over a relatively broad hand without disconnecting the bracelet from the attachment or 4 from the watch, and without adjusting the relative positions of its constituent elements.

e claim 1. An extensible attachment for watch bracelets or the like, comprising a central 5 member having a cover section and a bottom section, a pair of hinged connector plates pivoted to and foldable into overlapping relation beneath said cover section; and another pair of hinged plates connected to the bottom section and foldable over said section.

2. An extensible attachment for watch bracelets or the like, comprising a central member having a cover section and a bottom section, a pair or" hinged connector plates pivoted to and foldable into overlapping relation beneath said cover section, and another pair of hinged plates connected to the bottom section and foldable over said section, each of said sections and plates being approximately half as long as the central member and one of the last-named plates constituting a cover part which adjoins the cover section of said member upon closing the attachment.

3. An extensible attachment for watch.

bracelets or the like, comprising a central member having a cover section and a bottom section, a pair of hinged connector plates pivoted to and foldable into overlapping relation beneath said cover section, and another pair of hinged plates connected to the bottom section and foldable over said section, each of said sections and plates being approximately half as long as the central member and one of the last-named plates constituting a cover part which adjoins the cover section of said member upon closing the attachment, and said member being hinged at the j uncture of its cover and bottom sections.

4. An extensible connector for watch bracelets or the like, comprising a central member having a cover section provided with depending sides and a bottom section provided with upstanding sides, said sections being contiguous and each being approximately half as long as said member, a pair of hinged connector plates pivoted to and telescoping between the sides of said cover section, and a second pair of hinged plates pivoted to and foldable over said bottom section, the outermost of said last-named plates constituting a cover part and having depending sides re ceiving the sides of the other plate and the sides of the bottom section in telescoping relatlOn upon closing the attachment.

5. An extensible connector for watch bracelets or the like, comprising a central member having a cover section provided with depending sides and a bottom section provided with upstanding sides, said sections bemg contiguous and each being approximately half as long as said member, a pair of hinged connector plates pivoted to and telescoping between the sides of said cover section, and a second pair of hinged plates pivoted to and foldable over said bottom section. the outermost of said last-named plates con stituting a cover part and having depending sides receiving the sides of the other plate and the sides of the bottom section in telescoping relation upon closing the attachment, and said central member being hinged at the juncture of its cover and bottom sections.

Signed by us at Providence, Rhode Island, this 8th day of December, 1930.

CHARLES R. TOST.

CHAS. ADOLPl-I DQMLER. 

